Conquer Club

I want to try my hand at map making; just curious why MS Paint is excluded as a program I can use. Not that I love it, but it's the only thing I have ever used.

MS Paint is incredibly difficult to make a large map look nice. that's the simple answer.

Soooo.... would it be bad to take a photograph into MS Paint, and add the lines between the areas? Tough to do good detail starting from scratch, but if you start with a photo, it can look good.

Also, where do things stand as far as 'owned' material. I notice (and like) the Tolkein world, can we use images from famous fiction?

if you use graphics from others you have the copyrights issue...you can't just take any thing from internet and use it for your map...If you want something you have to make it yourself starting from scratch...
You can make a thing that is under copyright protection but you have to make it yourself and change some minor things...but you will always change some things if you make it yourself, it will never be exactly the same.
So if you want to use a famous fiction thing, use your designer skill to make it yourself

Okay then, thanks for the info. Good to know.

My next question is, what programs do most people use? Mind you, I am looking for inexpensive, and easy to use.

Also, I like your little map-graphics at the bottom, I'm going to go see if I can find them in the finished maps.

thanks again...

i hear most people use photoshop. not sure if that is cheap though.

Fireworks and GIMP is also commonly used.

check out this thread: http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22320 for tips and tricks by other helpful members on this site

And thanks again!